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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25495246">Remember Me, You'll Meet The Devil Twice</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherishiggy/pseuds/cherishiggy'>cherishiggy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Incense And Iron [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Promare (2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Creatures &amp; Monsters, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Flirting, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Living Together, M/M, Mild Gore, Panic Attacks, Prequel, Strangers to Lovers, Vampire Gueira, Vampire Lio, Vampire Meis, established relationship for gueimei, gueimeilio slowly progresses throughout this fic, more tags to be added as I post more chapters, there are gonna be some galolio bits sprinkled in later on dont worry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:42:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>20,598</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25495246</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherishiggy/pseuds/cherishiggy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"So, how did you three met, anyway? You, Meis and Gueira, I mean," once asks Galo through a mouthful of breakfast. It's his new favorite, oat porridge. It's summer, and Lio makes it with milk now, and with conserves left from the previous year's autumn.</p><p>Lio makes a posh face, the one he always makes when he's about to say something fancy, and Galo chortles internally. "Oh, I didn't tell you? Huh. Of all the branching, grand tales from my life I could tell, that is one of the most important ones. Let's finish up," he nods at the plates, "and move somewhere more comfortable."</p><p>Galo enthusiastically jumps in his chair at the proposal, eyes widened and gleaming. "The study?"</p><p>"Sure. Rosehip tea, as usual?"</p><p>"Of course!" beams Galo.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gueira/Meis (Promare), Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos, Lio Fotia/Gueira/Meis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Incense And Iron [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1593919</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Realign</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Sup lads, been a while! Working on this one was hard and sure took a long time; I had moved, experienced a breakup, switched antidepressants, and then there's all that plague shit and unwillingly going back to being a shut-in, all in the span of a few months. So, y'know. Plenty of stressful stuff that has delayed this fic. But, slowly but surely, I was chipping away at this one, so here it is, the prequel, and I hope you enjoy it and it lives up to your expectations (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧</p><p>This fic could be read both as its own separate thing and as a part of the series.</p><p>Just like with the previous fics of this au, it's is named after a Powerwolf song name/lyric. This one in particular uses a line from <a href="https://youtu.be/XgY9sq3KpZM">Panic In The Pentagram</a>. It is so badass!! Kartsen Brill's slowly crescendoing into rough vocals, peaking on this line, then comes his raspy laughter, and then the real meat of the song kicks in (人*´∀｀)｡*ﾟ+ So tasty.</p><p>Big thanks to my mate Seb (pls stop calling me a furry you dingus. also you stinky) and to my friends who had to endure me yammering on and on about this fic for half a year and to everyone who has supported me during the process of writing these fics - you reading them, leaving sweet comments, leaving kudos - it all motivates me so-so much! When I'm having a hard time or not feeling great about my writing, I go look at all the kudos, all the people who have enjoyed my fics, reread all the comments, just think of y'all being somewhere out there, and that really gets my spirits up ｡:ﾟ(;´ω`;)ﾟ:｡</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"So, how did you three met, anyway? You, Meis and Gueira, I mean," once asks Galo through a mouthful of breakfast. It's his new favorite, oat porridge. It's summer, and Lio makes it with milk now, and with conserves left from the previous year's autumn.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio makes a posh face, the one he always makes when he's about to say something fancy, and Galo chortles internally. "Oh, I didn't tell you? Huh. Of all the branching, grand tales from my life I could tell, that is one of the most important ones. Let's finish up," he nods at the plates, "and move somewhere more comfortable."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Galo enthusiastically jumps in his chair at the proposal, eyes widened and gleaming. "The study?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure. Rosehip tea, as usual?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course!" beams Galo.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It all began with the smell of putrid back alleys.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Then the smell of humans, which makes sense. It is their town, after all.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>And then comes the smell of his kin, thicker than all.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio's brows furrow as he hurries to the spot oozing with the latter scent, in the damp labyrinth of bricks and night soil. And here he was thinking that in such a tiny little town, almost a village, there wouldn't be any of his own.swerving</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>And just when he'd thought his sense of smell betrayed him, he stumbles upon them – a human and two vampires, to be precise, that are locking the human in a tight cage of bodies with no space between nor a chance for mercy.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>As Lio passes from the almost crawlspace-like alley into the tight space hugged by the plumbeous walls, a venom-drenched voice hits his ears, deafening in its quietness and deadly in its coldness.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"And just what t'hell do you think you're doing?!" One of the vampires rises to his feet, all languidness and aloofness, but underneath it all, Lio can sense an inner trigger to pounce ready to be pulled at any second.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Gueira</span>
  </em>
  <span>," the other one grinds through his teeth.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nah, nah, let me handle him. Why would someone barge in uninvited unless they wanna have a bite as well? You gotta defend your meal, y'know, otherwise, you won't have any place in the food chain at all, Meis."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"We don't need confrontation, especially now," the other, Meis, hisses, trying to keep his voice as low as possible now to not give away their weakness to the sudden newfound threat, but not taking into the account that his words will still lightly bounce off walls and nonetheless reach Lio's ears. Lio mentally breathes out in relief when he hears that. Truth be told, he isn't looking for a fight either.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure, you keep telling yourself that. I'm ready to fight tooth and nail for my fair and square earned piece of meat," backtalks the one called Gueira.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The other scowls, winding his fingers tight around the human's throat in annoyance to keep them in place. "The more people get bitten, the more the rumors of us could spread. This is quite the comfortable little town, and I wouldn't want to be on the road again unless absolutely necessary."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira's eyes defiantly gleam, but he doesn't object to that, feeling that there indeed is a seed of truth in the other man's words. "Fine. Now what?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"You," nods the man at their victim, taking off the hand from its throat, "Piss off. Not a word to anyone, or we'll drain you in your sleep."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The human scrambles to its legs, failing to get up a couple of times because of adrenaline rushing through its system, not a peep leaving its mouth. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>A momentary impulse rushes through Lio's head. The human looked young and fragile, and at nighttime, they are at their most vulnerable, fumbling and blind and defenseless like freshly hatched chicks. Perhaps it would be better to see them on their way.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Though he feels that one other matter takes priority.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>With a short breath in that pierces his lungs, he bites the bullet and plunges in.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Actually, since I, though entirely justifiably, ruined your meal, I would like to offer you an alternative. There lives a human not that far away that has agreed to let me feed on them in return for some favors. If you'd like, I can show you the way."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira openly gapes, while Meis, the more reserved of the two by the looks of it, just raises an eyebrow in time with a twist of the corner of his mouth.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio tries to look as apologetic and genuine as possible, but Gueira and Meis still look distrustful. Well, that is to be expected, considering the circumstances of their encounter, Lio muses.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They lean towards each other, hissing out small limpid puffs of breath woven in with hushed whispers. To make them feel more at ease while consorting, Lio cocks his hip and makes a show out of examining his intricate nail armor with an overly bored expression, and speaking of which, the little beauty is in desperate need of some polishing.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Side-eyeing him, Gueira brings his lips even closer to Meis' ear to say, "I'm tellin' you, can't you see that this is a trap waiting to spring? No one in their right mind would share their vital resource with others, dude's shady!"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know you're scared and paranoid, but vampires that have been having quite the cushy life tend to share their resources with their weaker brothers. It's not unheard of."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, so now he's pitying us, is that it?!"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck's sake, that's not my point! Please, just hear me out." Meis grabs Gueira by the shoulders, toning his voice back down when he sees Lio raise his eyes at their crescendoing conversation. "Two of us, and he's alone. We're not that weak just yet to not be able to take him on. Let's just see where it goes."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira purses his lips at him. "And what if it all ends up going to hell?" </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"If it does, after we take care of him, I'll personally pick out the juiciest, plumpest human and let you have the first generous bite. That okay?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Add some sweets from the lovely bakery, and that's fine with me. Just don't hold it against me if your plan doesn't work out and this time I'm finally right," winks Gueira at him, fear of danger immediately soothed by the promise of winning a bet.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sod off, you know deep inside I'm, as always, right," bites back Meis.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Satisfied with their arrangement and sparing Meis a smug look as if to say, "we'll see about that", Gueira barks, "Oi, blondie! What was that about sharing your food with us?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not quite food. Though carrying a vital fluid, they are a sentient being, after all. We shouldn't kill humans for nothing." Gueira just rolls his eyes at Lio's small lecture. "Yes, as I was saying, they live not far from here. Shall we?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Nodding, Meis prompts him, "Be our guest. We'll trail right behind."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio flashes them a smile and the fluttering back of his cloak swallows him whole momentarily as he twirls on his heels and darts to the exit from the alleyways, and they have no choice but to keep up their pace as well.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira notes that Meis has purposefully left some distance between the stranger and them, leaving them with a clear view of his back as a precautionary measure in case things go tits up. Sly devil. He spares Meis an appreciative look, but Meis seems to be ingrained in fully monitoring the situation and planning two – no, three steps ahead as he usually does. Ah well. That's Meis for ya.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Luckily, the sun has long ago gone down, the sky riddled with little shimmering stars, and almost each and every human has crawled into its hidey-hole home so there is no need for them to cover up as much. Meis sighs a relieved breath. Ahead of him, Gueira is on Lio's heels, and his nose twitches a little in excitement at the promise of a good meal, fiery mane whipping in the wind.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The human indeed lives not that far away, mindlessly notes Meis as they enter its home after Lio briefly fills it in on the doorstep. It and Lio talk over the details of the deal and settle on something extra from Lio to top it off, it seems, Meis doesn't care enough to pay full attention. The human gets all huffy; from what Meis gets from the little bits and pieces of the conversation, they interrupted the human's beauty sleep. Gueira snickers into Meis' shoulder, murmuring, "Oops."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, the human turns to them with a curt greeting and bares its neck. Meis sharply inhales, feeling the thud of its blood. "Who's first?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Go ahead," Meis nods to Gueira. "When you're hungry like this, you're absolutely intolerable."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Same goes for you, but you don't see me whining," scoffs Gueira. His face manages to hold both indignation and gratitude for getting to go first, however, and Meis sees that. What a damn wild cat, he thinks affectionately.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Not the one to beat around the bush, Gueira rams into the human's personal space and jabs his fangs in, no warning, nothing, hands clamping around its forearms to keep it in place. The human jolts with that involuntary, almost illogical fear – it has nothing to fear, it knows that well, and yet it still trembles like a rabbit in Gueira's tight hold, face pale.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis just bites in as well, though he does make the slide of his fangs not as rough as Gueira's. It's not out of mercy – god forbid he feels it for a </span>
  <em>
    <span>human</span>
  </em>
  <span>, it isn't like they themselves have even an ounce of it for the vampires – but rather out of what little bit of compassion he has towards another living being. Its pulse flutters with adrenaline and fear, making the blood all the quicker and tastier.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>When they both step back, eyes lazy and sated and lightly gleaming in the intimate yellow light of the oil nightlamp, the human takes a wheezing breath, pressing its fingers into its two tiny punctures. Seems to be in pain.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The stranger is immediately by its side, cooing something calming and quiet and offering a little jar from his belt bag. At the human's nod, he starts rubbing something onto the human's neck right on the bites with a worried expression. "Don't worry, that should heal them as quickly as possible, within a day or two so as to not bring you discomfort. Sorry for the late intrusion, and thank you so much."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're welcome, now just go, before </span>
  <em>
    <span>they</span>
  </em>
  <span> hear of this," it shoos them out in a terrified hurry. Oh, right. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Them</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Meis had almost forgotten what a nuisance </span>
  <em>
    <span>they</span>
  </em>
  <span> are.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>As they exit, the oak door quietly sliding into its usual closed position, Gueira crosses his arms behind his head, tone cheerful and laid-back. "Oh man, you weren't lying about this. Thought you'd leave us hanging or spring a trap or something," he laughs, patting his stomach. "Should thank him or something, eh, Meis?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah. We've been between a rock and a hard place for quite some time, and you pretty much saved our wretched bodies," Meis nods along.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Speaking of our wretched bodies and all that. Meis, remember we talked about this a lil' while back?" Nodding at the stranger, Gueira continues, looking puffed up like a small bird psyching itself up before a decisive action, "You could… Uh," and trails off. "You didn't tell us your name."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh! Right, forgot it amidst all the kerfuffle. Lio. Pleased to make your acquaintance," Lio bows lightly, and his pale hair sways in light, charming waves. Been raised in a good family, thinks Meis to himself.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, hey, no need to get all fancy!" Gueira exclaims with a slap to Lio's shoulder. "Sharing your food with us, why, we're practically best buds already!" He pays no attention to Meis clicking his tongue and mumbling something about "getting ahead of himself again" and instead continues, "The feeling's mutual! Name's Gueira, and this here is Meis. He gets huffy occasionally, don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong, that's just the usual for him."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, look who's speaking, Mr. Hothead," chuckles Meis and catches him in an armlock to give him a noogie.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking at Gueira playfully thrashing in Meis' hold, the corners of Lio's eyes crinkle. "So. You were saying that I could…?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Two heads are better than one or whatever, according to some kinda proverb, so surely three must be even better! You could try living with us, gotta troop up, y'know?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis wants to stop Gueira habitually, god knows he's said some dumb ideas before thinking them through, but… That idea actually makes sense. Unity means strength, and there have been stories traveling by the word of mouth some vampires that have lived in human settlements lived in small, close-knit groups.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It appears Lio has the same advantages in mind when replying. "M-m." Lio taps a finger to his jaw. "I don't see why not. This arrangement would be beneficial to both of us." The pure calculation lacing his tone makes Gueira shudder a little, but he decides to think nothing of it. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hell yeah! The more the merrier. We'll show the way." Turning around, he gestures to Meis, "C'mon, move it, you arse, don't stand there all slack-jawed unless you want a fly to get in! Last one there buys the winner those cherry buns!"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis wants to chide him, but Gueira's already taken off, so, with a huff and a shrug as if to say "well, what can you do" to Lio, Meis runs after Gueira. Lio rises up to the challenge as well, his cloak whipping in the wind. Lean and agile, he looks like he can easily get ahead of Gueira, but chooses not to, letting him have his fun.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Being like this, together with Gueira and their new acquaintance, a feeling spreading through his chest that there is nothing to threaten them, nothing to stop them, it's as if Meis got more and more drunk with each gulp of chilly air. He isn't sure what prompted this burst of emotions that are so rare for him, but he welcomes this burst nonetheless, slicing through the night together with his kin.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Apparently, Gueira feels the same kind of reckless, wild joy, tackling Meis into the shabby wall as soon as they are near their refuge and peppering his face with kisses. Meis tries to wave off Gueira, pressing his palms to Gueira's mouth to stop the sloppy affection bout, but he just leaves wet smooches on them as well. The night wind joins in on the fun and chills out the wet spots Gueira's lips make.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, come now, let's lead Lio in, show him around and then get touchy-feely, you sap," grumbles Meis, nonetheless pecking Gueira on the cheek as well. Disentangling himself from Gueira, he spares Lio a look while opening the ancient, creaky door, but Lio seems unfazed by how tactile Gueira is. Moreover, a tender smile is on his face now. He nods to Meis, prompting him not to worry about it and go on.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"So, welcome to our humble abode!" proudly proclaims Gueira, widely gesturing across their open space and showing off their little hideout. "It's not much, but hey, it's trusty and does its job well! Make yourself at home."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio doesn't look perturbed by the run-down state of the abandoned and repurposed room previously belonging to the humans, on the opposite, he turns around, eagerly inspecting their efforts to make it more suitable to be lived in. A mattress with a couple of ragged blankets, a small stack of books near, a thick cloth hastily thrown onto the window to shield their sensitive bodies, the cloth's vibrant colors painting the room with vivid hues. Hiding in a spot of particularly rich magenta stands a little potted plant, and Lio leans in to take a closer look at it. Despite the shaky living conditions of its owners, it is well-cared for and blooming with life.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Seeing Lio's interest in the potted plant, Gueira explains, embarrassed, "Saw this lil' fella abandoned and withered outside and couldn't help but bring him in."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"You big softie," snorts Meis from his corner where he's already settled onto the mattress. Gueira ignores him in favor of whipping up the cloth covering the window just so so that the patches of color shift and jump from Gueira's enthusiastic waving of this tiny man-made rainbow etched into fabric.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Neat, right?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes. Yes, it is, Gueira. This is a wonderful place," Lio sighs with a dreamy smile.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Put at ease, Gueira's a never-closing chatterbox of energy, excited exclamations, and whatever's going through his mind at that second.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I was talking about this potted little baby, but I knew you'd like it here!" His smile stretches from ear to ear, proffering his fangs, and he stretches out a hand with the corner of the cloth held in it. "Wanna try?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio's mouth begins to open on a cheery vowel of agreement, but he catches himself for some reason, and his lips snap into a harsh consonant, brows furrowing all of a sudden. "No. Thank you. I… I'm good."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>At the complete change of heart, Gueira blinks in surprise, raising his palms and shrugging. "Okay, buddy! Sure."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The night is midway through its repeating lifespan, and Meis herds Gueira to get ready to go to bed. Gueira shows him his tongue but fluffs up their thin blanket for the night nonetheless.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio looks a little lost as he settles into a corner, and definitely cold, adds Gueira, offering Lio a blanket. Thankfully, Lio takes it, though reluctantly.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira hopes Lio isn't planning on sleeping in that corner. As they settle under their blanket, he waves Lio over, "Dude, we still have some space on this mattress! Me an' Meis can shove over a bit and we all'll have a place to comfortably sleep! Come on over."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis energetically nods in agreement from his spot.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, no, that's alright, I'll be okay in the corner," Lio murmurs, dragging off another leftover blanket curled in the feet of the mattress and settling on his cloak spread onto the floor with a book in hand. He covers himself head to toe with the blanket, a little, secure bundle, and Gueira looks at that with a twinge of sadness. It doesn't look comfortable in the least, he knows that for sure, he's had to sleep on solid surfaces for a good while. Meis sighs. "Nothing that could be done about that, it's his choice and his choice alone," he whispers into Gueira's ear, sneaking a hand around his waist.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>But Lio can sleep with them, there's a soft spot and everything! Why not?</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It's… kind of painful to see Lio acting that way, actually. Is he uncomfortable with the suggestion? If so, Gueira doesn't know how to approach him about it. Lio looks like he's hiding off from the rest of the world by shielding himself with the fluffy blanket, clutching at its ends tightly with his nail armor, and in Gueira's book, that means you shouldn't bother the one who wishes not to be bothered.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>But his instincts screech he should try to help Lio out! Maybe it's in his powers to do so, who knows. Gueira can't sit still when there's probably</span>
  <em>
    <span> something</span>
  </em>
  <span> he can do about it.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>There must be something, right?</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Seeing Gueira's brows strung tautly and mouth still set in a serious line, Meis pets his cheeks with the heels of his palms. "Don't worry about it. He'll open up to us when he decides it is time. Or he doesn't." He smoothes the pad of his pointer finger over the worried creases of Gueira's forehead and taps his pursed lips with a thumb. "Let's sleep."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira sighs again, his troubled rictus eased, but his heart still steeping in concern. "Okay. I'll try to. 'Night." He leans in to give Meis' lips a tiny, chaste peck to express his gratitude for sharing his thoughts with him.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sleep well," answers Meis, responding in kind.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The first thing Meis' eyes focus on, albeit the blurriness is still a persistent film over his eyes, is Gueira's smirking mug leaning over him. That face doesn't promise anything but trouble, and seeing it so early on in his day, Meis can't help but groan and turn on his side to avoid the eager look Gueira's watching him with.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nghhh… What is it, Gueira? What do you want from me at this early hour?" croaks Meis, and only after asking realizes that he had fallen right into Gueira's trap as his smirk widens from smug to shit-eating, baring the fangs.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira lowers himself onto his elbows, effectively caging Meis in, and drawls in a deceptively saccharine voice, "Oh, I don't know. Maybe you lost to me, and should buy me somethin', huh?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"And just what might that be? I don't remember promising you anything." Meis is </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> not in the state to deal with Gueira's shenanigans.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira presses his jaw onto Meis' chest, right into the sternum, digging his sharp chin right into the bone, making his speech a little slurred, "The little race to here yesterday, dumbass, remember?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"And who said I agreed to your rules and to participate," grumbles Meis.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"But'cha did take off after me. So you did participate, mystery solved. And I won. Plain an' simple."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It takes all of Meis' willpower not to flick him as hard as he can on the damn turned-up nose.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"So," Gueira continues, managing to sound both smug and innocent at the same time, "cherry buns. Y'know, those ones. Get me some of those, and we're even."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The audacity.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Knowing Gueira, and he has known the twat for a few centuries, he understands action much better than words, so to show just how offended he was and how much he disagrees, Meis lashes out with his undistilled, raw emotions, dragging Gueira's head up by its locks and biting his lips as hard as he can. When he feels an indignant yelp bubble up in Gueira's throat, Meis tugs his mouth open by the lower lip with a bite to it and fiercely kisses him, nipping the poor lip all the while and not letting Gueira retreat his head.words</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis feels a corner of Gueira's mouth tug up, knows a witty remark is coming, and he effectively cuts it off with another bite, making Gueira let out a muffled whine into Meis' mouth.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>When Gueira starts squirming above him, whimpering into his mouth and Meis is sure he has stolen almost all of the oxygen out of his lungs and taught him a lesson, with a loud smooch, Meis breaks their kiss, letting go of Gueira's red locks, only to be straddled and humped and kissed again. And fuck, is Gueira </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> desperate for a quickie? Damn rabbit.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"But… Lio…" tries Meis in one last pitiful attempt to stop whatever Gueira's scheming.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"'S'okay. He's out for a tiny errand, wouldn't tell me for what, and we have this place for ourselves for a lil' while. Come on," huffs Gueira into his lips in a heated whisper. His arms lift Meis' head, tease the tiny hair on its back, pet across the scalp all the while Gueira pants onto his cheek, his chafed lips so close. Meis bites the inside of his mouth, weighing his options.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, fine. He'll let him have his way.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Sinking his fingernails into Gueira's sides and raking over them with momentarily grown-out claws, Meis lazily grinds up into Gueira's firm ass. At that, Gueira flashes a shit-eating grin, drawling, "What, had a change of heart?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll never miss an opportunity to make you more miserable and tear you up," responds Meis. To give even more weight to his words, he gnaws into the sensitive spot right behind Gueira's ear, making Gueira shut up and swallow his words. With each small bite, Gueira hangs his head lower and lower, hips pressing into hips all by themselves, and creating much-needed friction. His breathing continues to burn little patches of heat on Meis' skin, and he feels sweat forming on his forehead as he slaps Gueira on the ass, making him lift it, and drags his pants off.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, almost.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>With swears, sweat getting into his eyes, and Gueira – on his nerves, Meis manages to drag the damned pants off. Gueira is immediately on him, with his hands, legs, mouth. Gueira would have probably sucked him off, thinks Meis in the back of his head, if he wasn't so hard himself already.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira must have thought his through while he himself was still sleeping, Meis realizes as Gueira deliberately frees Meis' cock from the underwear as well. The thought of Gueira quietly, languidly jerking off while looking at him, still lost to sleep, sends a shiver through Meis. Gueira's always loud, so he probably had to bite at a knuckle as well as he fucked his fist.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh god.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis melts and dissolves under Gueira's harsh touch, the heat of his hand grasping their cocks threatening to strip the flesh. It's too much already, it's always like that with Gueira, his body warmth threatening to overtake Meis whole if he lets his guard down, basks too much in the grip of these chafed, scarred hands.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira has learned to wring out satisfying orgasms with insulting ease, and despite the fact he was already hard by the time Meis woke up, Meis still came first, lost in the sensation of Gueira's constant little bites at his neck and clavicles. He renewed old scars and marks he has left, scraped off layer after layer of skin till it bubbled with red.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Usually, Meis would be just as feisty and bratty and would turn the tables for such brazenness, but he is still woozy from sleep and Gueira's embrace as he milked their cocks was too nice so Meis went all lax and let him take the lead. He doesn't get to let someone else be in charge that often, Meis likes to stay on top of things.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It's quick and dirty, like all their little squabbles. Neither of them plays fair, neither during squabbles nor when fucking.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>But then again, what rules would there be in such a carnal display of intimacy, with the two of them like two forces of nature clashing?</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Just when they lie back in each other's embrace, out of breath and sated and sticky, Lio enters the little hideout, putting all of his efforts into making the least noise so as to not wake up anyone who's possibly asleep. However, the door still traitorously creaks, announcing his presence loud and clear.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>That door always had a knack for ruining everyone's plans, and it did it well, Meis'll give it that.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira jerks up his head, red mop of bed hair sticking out every which way. His lips are still kiss-swollen, and his chest is littered with a fair share of bites, but he sits up on the mattress nonetheless, giving Lio a bright grin.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mornin' again, man! Had any luck with your errand?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio smiles mysteriously, tugs off his hood, and that's when Meis notes the little bundle in his hands. Then, the smell. Gueira, by the looks of it, had connected the dots the same way, only he also loudly inhales and sighs in a dreamy voice, "Ah, the scent of freshly-baked pastry and berries… It's to die for. Could drop dead any second."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio nods, extending his hands to offer the bundle to Gueira. "Here you are! They're all yours."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Without much fanfare, Gueira fastens the other thin blanket they've got on the mattress, and pads to Lio, fabric dragging after him like a king's long mantle that has fallen out of the servant's hands. Meis thanks the gods he doesn't go like he was, bare-assed and letting Lio get a nice look at his cum-covered stomach and soft dick as well. Gueira's reckless and bold enough to pull that stunt.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ey, Meis! Just look at this! Three hot little delights, fresh from the oven!" Gueira says, holding the bundle above his head as if Meis can't see and smell them himself. "Thanks a lot, Lio, this is the stuff of the dreams," gabbles Gueira, slapping Lio on his back and shuffling the hot buns inside the bundle and stuffing his fingers between them to warm the digits up. A silly childish grin doesn't leave his face, one Meis can't help but mirror. Well, minus the silliness. It's Gueira's prerogative to be the silly one.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Glad I got them just in time, then. I had a feeling you might crave those," nods Lio, looking really pleased with himself. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>At Gueira's excited question of "how did you know?" Lio only smiles mysteriously in response. "I have my own ways. It's a secret."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Awww, c'mon, man, not even a hint?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nope."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis knows Gueira said that "last one to the shelter buys the winner cherry buns", made a fuss over it mere half an hour ago, but has already forgotten about blowing a gasket over them and about the bet in general. Dummy. But Meis doesn't want to ruin Lio's obvious secret and stays completely detached from the conversation and content with having a small personal eyeful of Gueira's ass peeking from under the blanket beginning to slide down his narrow hips. A handful of freckles is strewn about his lower back like a small bunch of constellations known only to the of two of them. A little personal discovery.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Then it happens all too quickly.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He can't really see what happened exactly, Gueira's standing with his back to him, but Gueira must have plucked a bun right from the bundle. Of course, they're still steaming hot to hold with bare hands, so Gueira yelps, not expecting the burn to his fingers, and the bun flies into the air in a graceful arch.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>In an instant, Lio swoops in to save the day for the second time.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He dives in right for the bun, catches it in midair with his god-knows-how-earned catlike reflexes, and falls to the ground with it curled to his chest, claws out for better grasp of it.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira just stands there for a second, processing what just happened with his mouth agape. In the next, he is already crouching next to Lio, voice peaking from worry, "Lio, man, you okay?! The hell did you do that for?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio winces for a few moments before responding, "Yeah, yeah, just a scrape."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira peers at Lio's elbows, whistling. ""Just a scrape" my damn ass! That's a nasty scratch if I've ever seen one." At that, Lio downturns his eyes, rolling his sleeves back up to cover the minor injury.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let me help you with that! I saw you use some sorta balm on that human that helps with wounds, so…"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio's face turns rigidly stern all of a sudden. "No," he cuts off with more pressure in his words than necessary.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, okay!" Gueira looks caught off-guard by the sudden reply, hands lifted up to show he gives up and meant no harm.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe the guy's still too cranky from sleep and doesn't want anyone touching him, thinks Meis, still on his perch on the mattress and observing, not butting in. He makes a note to try and not disturb Lio too much when he's sleepy…? He still needs to fully confirm his theory.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Later, when the two of them wake up properly and find they have to clean themselves up, Meis grumbles at Gueira for having to peruse the church-based public bathrooms </span>
  <em>
    <span>again</span>
  </em>
  <span> and for the second time that week and it's just Tuesday and yes, while it would be unpleasant having that smell of sex cling to them, at least they wouldn't risk the church being on their ass, so the better option would be not to fuck like rabbits, but no-o-o… Though he quickly cans the lecture and turns his head away with a pout when Gueira interjects with a simple and very smug "you did enjoy it, though, don't lie".</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio comes to the public bathroom with them out of pure interest, as Meis quickly figures out, though his official pretense is that there is strength in numbers. Gueira, quick to believe every word, is immediately elated at the prospect and runs off before everyone else, like usual.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>There's no way in hell Meis admits that he's secretly checks Lio out in the mirror as he's tying the tiny towel around his hips. A small tuft of pale hair above the towel deeply charms Meis. And he sees Lio staring at the scars on the two of them, so they are even.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The first attempts Meis makes at trying to start conversations with Lio end up in catastrophic and utter failure.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Whenever he tried to strike up one time and time again, they were always veiled in uncomfortable silence. Is how life got him into this shabby little village a bad topic, wonders Meis when Lio's eyes haze over in response. He can't quite decipher if it's a haze of anger, of incoming tears, or perhaps something else entirely. But in the end, Lio stays quiet, eyes averted.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis isn't sure if saying something else or staying quiet and standing by Lio's side will make everything more awkward. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He likes </span>
  <em>
    <span>knowing</span>
  </em>
  <span> people. It's certainly new to have someone in his life he did </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> know almost like the back of his hand as he did Gueira. New and also really, really scary if he's honest. Despite not showing it as much as Gueira, he is just as equally afraid to fuck up royally before their new acquaintance. It's as equally a small-scale threat as it is a thrill, to decipher the person synapse link by synapse link.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>What if the person manages to do some lasting damage before he figures the person out, puts their reactions to every little thing in the neat memory boxes to be pulled out when he needs to decide what to say to that person or how to make it up to them? That's one of the scarier parts of getting to know someone for Meis, this bog of uncertainty.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>But with Lio, strange as it sounds, even though their interactions had been mostly awkward, he feels a sense of safety.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira keeps saying he should try believing his gut instinct and stop second-guessing every little thing. Meis wonders if Lio entering their lives is a sign he should try that approach.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>That one time, when Meis was watering Gueira's plant, Lio, who was carefully watching him from the distance, shuffles closer and asks if he can water the little guy. Meis doesn't mind, though he does instruct Lio on how to do it properly – slowly and not too much at a time so as to not splatter water all over the leaves. Lio replies with a small smile that he knows how to handle this species of plants. A few seconds after, he elaborates that he had a small garden of which he liked to take care of. He even had a song he sang to the plants in hopes it would cheer them up.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio's voice is really charming, thinks Meis as he listens to Lio's quiet singing.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>But the breakthrough moment is the scones with chilled berry preserve, a certain street food vendor's attempt to ward off the heat.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Summer ambushes the village so soon, neither of the three of them have the time to prepare. Gueira just walks in his undergarments around their small hideout without a care in the world. This only further confirms the hunch Meis had since a while ago that Gueira has an exhibitionistic streak.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis' mind roams with ideas at that. He licks his lips like a cat having its sights on a bowl of cream. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He himself at least has </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span> decency, baring only his torso and waving himself with his tunic. Sure would be nice if rainclouds suddenly rounded up the clear sky like bloodhounds circle prey.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them sputter sneakily and stare when Lio, at his wits' end as well, tucks out his shirt to unbutton the lower half and tie it above his bellybutton, exposing the stomach. The sight knocks the wind out of Meis, but he covers it up with a cough and a stare at Gueira's bellybutton and what lies below it instead. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>So fluffy.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>In search of relief from the heat, they venture outside, hopes low.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It's absolute torture walking under the scorching sun in a cape, so they try to heed of the slightly more merciful shadows of the house roofs.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>And then Gueira sees them. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The scones.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Some sod with the bare minimum understanding of ice magic is selling homemade sweets. On one hand, big deal. But right now, this is a godsend. The mere thought of sweet cold goodness sends Gueira's mouth-watering.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He counts off some bronze coins he had in his pockets and buys one. He's a sucker for sweet stuff, what can he do, and he shrugs at Meis' questioning gaze.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira's eyes immediately light up the second he bites into the chilled handful of pastry, and pink bubbles up around his lips. With a stuffed mouth, he mumbles excitedly, "Sho ghud!"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>That gets Lio's attention as well, and he purchases one for himself too. Meis can see how his eyes open up a bit in anticipation as he stares at his scone.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Catching Meis' stare, Lio hums to himself and buys another scone. Meis wonders why would he go for one more when he hasn't finished the first one yet.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis wonders no more when Lio gives him the cold treat he had just bought.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh. He didn't expect that at all, and he accepts it with a quiet thanks, a bit stunned. Lio softly smiles in response, as if Meis didn't make an idiot out of himself just now with how much he was blinking.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The center of the pastry is pleasantly cool, but still gooey and runny, while the baked outer shell still has that crunchiness of a baked golden crust. Meis has no idea how it works, but it does, and so well, a great relief from the heat.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>As Lio takes another bite, staining his fingers with translucent red, he recalls warm memories of a childhood long past, of the cold summer treats his mother made. While Meis can't really relate, he still asks questions with great curiosity, glad to find an opening to ease the tension between them. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>And Lio opens up, replies to him with a fond smile, licking his fingers and wiping them on the handkerchief. Of how sweet his mother's voice was, how he learned to make those summer treats along with her. How soft and assuring her fingers were, guiding his hand to cut the cherries and measure the honey just right.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It made Meis long for what he never had. Strange.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio's quite the interesting guy, muses Meis as Lio's nimble fingers braid his hair for sleep that day. Meis takes his time to braid Lio's as well. It's much shorter, so Meis opts for two small braids instead.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio indulged Gueira in his shenanigans on some occasions. One time, the two of them snuck off to a bar for some cold beer because Gueira felt too hot during the night, without Meis knowing. That's irresponsible on so many levels, so dangerous, and– well, truth be told, Meis wouldn't have refused a pint, he admits to himself when he scents Gueira and catches the sourness of lager off him.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He also buys Gueira street food sometimes if Gueira bats his eyelashes and does the puppy eyes enough, but on one simple condition – Gueira shares with everyone. Meis isn't complaining, the pastry cream in that one bakery off the main street and close to a moss-covered land-bound gargoyle statue is delightful, he won't argue there. He fancied himself a neat eater, but with those small tarts, he can't help but bite straight into the center and tear off a half and get the pastry cream all over his lips and the corners of his mouth. Gueira isn't complaining either, if he's feeling bold enough on a particular day, he quickly leans in to lick all of the small dollops of the cream off Meis' lips, so quickly, Meis doesn't have time to react.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It seems Gueira doesn't quite know how to go about this new addition to their group. He constantly slaps himself on the wrist for being too casual around Lio, too giddy. It takes him a few times of making Lio laugh at his silly jokes to understand that he's free to goof as much as he likes to, and Lio will not judge him for it.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why would he judge you, dumbass," grumbles Meis at him once when Lio was deep in his sleep and they were ready to conk out too. Gueira rambled for a bit, to which Meis answered with his trademark bluntness. "I don't judge you, even though I know you're an idiot, so why would he?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'unno," shrugs Gueira, and that's that.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>A day later, Meis finds with great relish that Gueira feels a bit more at ease with Lio, making jokes and carefully responding to Lio's awkward ones.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They're both finding how to click with the new member of the group, and it's happening, slowly but surely.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The morning greets them with a certain unusual smell. The one they hadn't had the utmost pleasure of encountering for a long, long time. Meis jolts up from the thin mattress first, the more alert, light sleeper of the two, and puffs out his nostrils.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>His face twists into canyons of creases, marred by disgust and hate. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Them</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The church.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It's been a long while. They still haven't learned to mask their scent well enough, no matter how much they try to cleanse themselves with holy water and sandalwood incense.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Just what they needed when they comfortably settled into this comfy little abandoned space in this comfy little town. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Back to the road it is.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis' mind is sifting through countless possibilities immediately like they never even had this moment of laying low in their lives. Should they fight, since they are both rejuvenated by the human's blood and with Lio by their side, or should they flee? If it's the latter, how should they go about that? Meis knows this building like the back of his palm, survival in the midst of a human settlement requires as much, so trying to slip out unnoticed should be possible, but… There's an unexpected variable, the one that can single-handedly ruin their plan or raise their chance of success tenfold.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Where is he?</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis circles the room with just his eyes akin to a bird of prey surveilling its domain. Lio isn't here. So then, the hell's he doing out of the room–</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as Meis is beginning to panic a little, something he rarely ever allows himself to do, there must be no room for it in his planning, ever, Lio sneaks into the room, not quite running to not make noise, but still in a hurry. With a slightly breathy voice, he whispers, "I woke up as soon as I heard the steps approaching us to surveil what's going on. They… They have come."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis doesn't need any explanation for who "they" are. God's bandogs. The vampire hunters.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Clad in holy white and carrying flasks of water purified with prayers, they are a blight on many of their kin and not just them. The hunters will take whatever they can, purging any creature of the night they might encounter. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Their greed knows no bounds.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It's because of that greed Lio's…</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Gueira, get your ass up," hisses Meis, shoving Gueira who's peacefully snoring away on the mattress. He jerks up in an instant, red hair falling into his eyes, about to raise hell because </span>
  <em>
    <span>what the fuck </span>
  </em>
  <span>what kind of an animal disturbs the sleep of others, but snaps his jaw back closed the second he catches wind of the hunters and makes a face.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh hell." And he's out of the bed in an instant, dressing himself in a record amount of time </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio peeks out the marred window to quickly survey the amount of the hunter group. They don't even bother to cover up their presence, which makes Lio's blood boil with anger. One of the hunters speaks, the skies themselves blessing his mane of gold hair with the light of heavens, voice a clap of thunder in the deserted building, "Come, wenches! We </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> smoke you out, and you can either make this bloodless and surrender or prepare yourselves for the harshest of pains you have known in your shortly ending lives."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira and Meis share a look, visibly distressed. "Even with our efforts combined, he is too strong to take on," starts Gueira, eyes still glued to the small vampire hunter group. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Deep in thoughts already, Lio says, "We don't need to combine efforts. I… I think I could take on them." A deep sigh. "Alone."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira immediately jerks up, voice rising in volume, "Have you gone daft?!" Meis smacks him upside his head, hissing out a breath with a finger to his lips. "Coulda' just done it without the slap, ya twat," bites back Gueira. "But really, what do you think you're doing, Lio? You can't possibly deal with them all! Especially that guy."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"We won't know until I try," smirks Lio. The smirk isn't a happy one, but rather it's full of bloodlust, sending shivers even down Meis' spine.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gulping, Meis continues Gueira's trail of thought, "You aren't possibly strong enough for </span>
  <em>
    <span>him."</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, but I am. And I have a score to settle. He constantly seeks me out, and I'll give it to him this time."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither of the two can object to the smooth, venomous tone and the feigned, chilling calm bordering on murderous intent. Seeing Lio in this state, willing and raring to bash open skulls and tear out brain matter and soft, squishy lungs, they both decide to drop the subject.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Gueira softly says, "We're worried. For you, I mean. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio's answer is quieter than a leaf's rustle. "You shouldn't be. And I'm sorry for putting you in danger, even though I knew he is on my tail. I had hoped he finally lost track of me."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>A sound of cracking wood cuts off any possible reply either Meis or Gueira was going to say. Voice rising, Lio jabs his finger at the opening, "Run! You still have plenty of energy from yesterday to shapeshift!" His eyes are blown wide open, and this is the first time and hopefully the last they see him well and truly distressed. A curt nod, a seemingly cold and aloof action, is all they're given as a goodbye, but both of them feel all the reassurance Lio fits into that passing move of his head. Lio turns away from them, muscles tightening, crowding together for a maneuver. "Be quick on your feet, and may the winds be in your favor."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, like a drop of molten gold, Lio jumps out the window into the fray of the vampire hunters, shifting into a fierce wolf in the split second of his fall. His diamond-hard teeth catch and break the blades that were foolishly aimed into his sensitive mouth; he dances around his prey in a glistening whirlwind, avoiding hits with ease as he gives one deadly slash and tear of his claws after the other. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They would look at the graceful saltatory wolf forevermore, were their lives not at stake.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>But Gueira and Meis are glued to the sight for just a few seconds, the last few seconds they can allow themselves before the hunters realize the wolf is a red herring and is pulling a distraction maneuver. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>With a running start, Meis dives down and takes flight with a gentle curl of his flight feathers as an osprey. It takes Gueira a second more to transform as he looks back into the small, but no longer safe hideout.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"But– the plant…" Gueira whispers, choked up. With a wild shake of his head, he jumps out of the jagged crack in the wall last, his powerful hinder paws of a lynx propelling him far into the air. "Goodbye, little fella. I'll miss you."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind them, there's snarls, sounds of steel and crackling fire, getting more distant and being the last little thread connecting them to their new friend until it, too, breaks.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Seeing the face of the one responsible for the event changing his entire life is… It doesn't twist his face in seething fury, an animalistic grimace of rage, of bared teeth and wide-open eyes like he thought it would when he imagined this fated meeting countless times. Instead, he feels deadly calm, a concoction of frost crystals and liquefied fire replacing his slow-moving blood. The hair of his blond mane is standing on its ends because of pure </span>
  <em>
    <span>magic</span>
  </em>
  <span> that concentrates in his nerves, electrifies his whole body. The seconds are going by much slower, he can see every detail, feel every muscle twitch in the human's body and predict his maneuvers.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>But… This dance is growing tiresome.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>With all of the lesser hunters defeated – some incapacitated, some having fled, Lio tried to minimize the injuries he inflicts on them – the two of them are head to head.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio can feel the stagger in Kray's breath, the hitch in his parrying. His slicked-back hair begins straying out in strands, left to the mercy of wind and light. Lio waits out for the perfect moment to take Kray off-guard with the last burst of power he will not be able to match.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio doesn't kill. He has morals to uphold.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Kray Foresight would be the only exception to the law Lio lives by. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth. This is the least he can do for his </span>
  <em>
    <span>slaughtered</span>
  </em>
  <span> family. Killed in cold blood by the monster before him.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>A parry smoothly transitioning into a high inside lunge. Kray deflects, sliding back on his heels. He knows his stamina is rapidly depleting, so he tries to make up for it by running his mouth. Too bad Lio sees through it, seizing the opportunity to aim a lunge right at the throat. A bold move, but better than just telling him to shut the fuck up. Lio's above that.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"So, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lio Fotia</span>
  </em>
  <span>," and it almost makes Lio's hand twitch because of how much like a dirty word, a swear spat out with disgust his name sounds on Kray's lips, "ever so glad to be seeing you doing well. Much better than I fared, I thought I had you killed along with your whoresons of a family, but, ah well."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The anger in Lio begins to boil. He does the only thing he can, asks the only question he has for the son of a bitch, the one he had lying dormant in his mind all his life. "Why?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Kray laughs at that, at him, the full-blown maniacal cackling fit of a madman. "Oh, why? Isn't it obvious? God himself has put me as the savior of humanity, and I am doing my job, ridding the world of you bastards. Simple, isn't it?"</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Now Kray's taunts are beginning to work. Lio knows he has to keep a cool head and not allow himself to get up in arms over this.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Kray flexes his fingers, flares of fire licking at the metallic digits. Finally opens his eyes previously closed in a smirk to pierce Lio with his gaze. The eyes of a ruthless killer. "It's wonderful you came to me all by yourself."</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Anger gives Lio strength as he aims not to disarm, but to kill. Kray barely manages to deflect, Lio can see the surprise in his eyes – despite all of Lio's attacks aimed at the neck now, a human's attention speed is no match for a vampire's. Lio pushes his luck with a sneer, crowding Kray in with his blows. Any dirty trick he has in his book, Lio has one to match and another one to keep the upper hand.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, Kray staggers. Loses balance on his feet for a mere fraction of a second. But this window of opportunity is all Lio needs to deliver a powerful blow into the man's chest with his foot, right into the solar plexus, and send him crashing down onto the dirty bricks.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The second Kray is on the ground, mouth twisted in a scowl of deep pain and hatred, his eyes wild, Lio secures him on the ground, the heel of one foot painfully dug into the gentle tendons in the middle of Kray's main hand to stop him from trying any moves with it, the other heel put on his throat so that if he tries to pull anything, Lio has immediate leverage and an access to the most vulnerable place in a human's body.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>As Lio looks in the eye of the dead-set killer, he sees defiance of his fate, a deep ocean of hatred no light ever reaches, incitement to</span>
  <em>
    <span> get over with it</span>
  </em>
  <span>, to color the walls with his blood and brains if he can. That makes Lio's sneer deepen and his flames focus in one spot on his palm, a tightly-wound ball of pure, precise energy in preparation for the last hit. But…</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Something's stopping his hand.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>As he's standing there, tips of his fingers ablaze with white flames raised and aimed at the throat, a thought flits through Lio's mind. A traitorous one, an unneeded one. </span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn't have it in his heart to kill. Not now. He would have if he were alone, he would have risked his life more since he knows, Kray will fight tooth and nail for his life.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>But now, Lio isn't alone.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Meis and Gueira are waiting for him.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio realizes full well his decision might come back to bite him in the ass, no, most certainly will. But he doesn't want the history to repeat itself for one more family, leaving it in shambles. He wouldn't wish that to anyone, even a human.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He's bigger than the bloodthirsty desire of vengeance.</span>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <span>After rifling through the breast pocket on the inside of Kray's embroidered cloak and taking something along with stripping his belt of a small pouch, Lio jumps back into the darkness, the eerie glow of his hide a ghostly afterimage and the last thing Kray, the fierce vampire hunter, saw of him.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Madness To The Method</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Some more bonding happens, and the pining begins.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Oh god this took a bit because I was working on my cumzine comic... Place your bets how much more will the next chapter take me.</p><p>Content warning for panic attacks and light gore in this chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lio catches up to them on the dusk of the third day, bloodied and ragged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smacks into the window as a bat using the last remnants of his energy and slides down it and onto the ground, transforming back into an almost naked, battered mess.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis, the more alert sleeper, darts up in a flash. His eyes turn to the small blood splatter on the window and he doesn't even check for its source before running out of their room to gather up the wounded body of Lio before any other residents of the inn notice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time Meis has carried Lio's frighteningly lightweight form into their room, Gueira is already wide awake in the bed, alarmed by the lack of his large spoon and source of body heat. He silently eyes the two of them with a pained expression and tightened lips as Meis gently rests Lio on their bed and examines his wounds up close.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio's skin is a shade of an apparition, veins visible throughout the length of his arms, not just the wrists and insides of his elbows. It is less resemblant of that regal paleness and closer to that of a corpse. That… Meis rarely has been scared in his life, and he has lived for long enough, but now, the dread is well and truly settling in his body like a poisonous bog.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira is still hunched over Lio's body, motionless like him except for lips soundlessly mouthing words of astonishment, probably swears. He stretches out a hand to feel Lio's forehead. Cold. Cold, much colder than the usual body temperature. He watches on, eyes wide as saucers, paralyzed, as Meis shreds a duvet cover to strips with his nails and uses some water from the pitcher to wet them. In careful but expert strokes he begins rubbing out the caked blood crust on Lio's body while Gueira holds his heavy head probably full of nightmares in his hands, petting his cheekbones and the tips of his ears with thumbs, murmuring something quiet and reassuring that nobody but Gueira can really hear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis wonders if Gueira's reassuring himself more than unconscious Lio himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blood doesn't come off easily. Often Meis has to press the cloth into Lio's skin, quietly mirroring Gueira's action and apologizing to Lio for a particularly rough press of fabric. Some of the dried blood flakes off onto his hands in little crumbs of black, making his hands smell even more of copper. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis' heart clenches at the thought of not when, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>if</span>
  </em>
  <span> Lio will be conscious again. His wounds are pretty severe and he looks so malnourished from the long restless flight and the tireless search right after. In spite of preferring to act on cold hard facts and the most likely possibilities, something shifts inside Meis, and in this moment, he tries doing something with the least likely outcome - waking Lio with his hard scrubbing. Best do that rather than thinking of Lio not waking up at all, right?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He… Can't cope with that possibility. So panic, irrationality completely overtakes his mind, and Meis presses the red-stained fabric into Lio's skin with more force, knuckles whitening on the fabric, a little spark of hope in him still ignited and trying to live for as long as it can.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Gueira, knowing Meis so well, for at least a couple centuries or so, sees the tight clench of his teeth, the usually smooth movements now choppy and erratic. Gueira reasons he will only make the situation worse if he only has the little signs to go by and actually read the situation wrong. To confirm that Meis really is panicking, something that scarcely ever happens, Gueira grabs him by his wrist and peers into his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The dark, scared eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something inside Gueira jolts, as if a rug had been pulled from underneath him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What are you doing, Meis. Don't do that. You'll only hurt him more," shakily murmurs Gueira.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis jerks his wrist out of Gueira's hold and continues scrubbing Lio's skin to redness with a frown. There are no more flakes of dried blood on his skin, only the deepening pink from the friction of Meis' long dried-out cloth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The silent dedication, the desperation with which Meis continues this useless task...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Meis… don't scare me like that, dude," whispers Gueira, reaching out and hugging him from behind. Not holding him back, not restraining his movement, just trying to comfort Meis with his body heat, tear him out of the poisonous well of single-minded panic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sensation of Gueira silently spilling hot tears over the nape of his neck, leaving quickly cooling trails left to the chill of the room – when did it become so cold here? – seems to snap Meis out of it. His arms sink onto the mattress, the reddened cloth lays dormant in his palm. With a deep breath out, his shoulders slump forward, his head hangs low, making the vertebrae in his neck stretch the skin and poke Gueira in his cheek.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With another deep breath and a swipe of his eyes with the back of his hand, Meis asks no one in particular, "What the hell am I doing…"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira replies, "I don't know. But what I do know is that I'll have to go fetch a new пододеяльник from the inn maiden's closet, she won't even notice it's gone. You sit here. I'll be back in a bit." With a swing of his arms, he throws the blanket on Meis' slumped, shivering body and pecks him on the forehead. "Come on, don't die on me just yet."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis' response is silence, his eyes staring into nothing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gaze turning sorrowful and pitying, Gueira turns around and makes his way out of the room, evenly distributing his weight on each foot with a new step made so as to not make the old floorboards traitorously creak. He knows Meis hates being </span>
  <em>
    <span>pitied</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but right now, it's… Gueira can't bring himself not to.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It knocks the wind out of his lungs, turns the world upside down to see Meis so distressed, so paralyzed. Usually, on the contrary, he's the one keeping a cool head with his emotions kept under strict control, and letting them out into the world in poisonous, often lethal fumes lacing his every word. He does lose his cool if provoked, his self-control isn't eternal. In those moments, he is absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>seething</span>
  </em>
  <span>, letting all those fermented emotions lash out in a fine mix of swears, disdain, and sharp glares from his eyes closed to no less than thin slits.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He never, never not had a plan for what to do. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira is afraid of fucking up in Meis' stead. Being in control of things that required thinking first and acting second isn't his strongest trait. But he must do this, for the three of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He clenches his fist and raises it above his head in an empty hallway, hoping no stray ghost or something will see this silly moment of pumping himself up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When he re-enters their inn room, Meis is on his side, clenching Lio's hand in his own. His usually large form is shriveled, curled in on itself. He doesn't even perk up at Gueira sliding the door shut, at the distress in the mattress when Gueira inches closer to hug him from behind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis is </span>
  <em>
    <span>shaking</span>
  </em>
  <span> like a lone autumnal leaf, and Gueira feels how his heart is hammering out an irregular beat inside that ribcage. From the many years of this particular sound being Gueira's ever-present lullaby, he knows that it's much, much quicker now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh god, what should he do.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wait, they don't need another panicking mess on their hands, mentally slaps himself Gueira as he crawls on the other side of Meis to look him in the face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yup, a mess, just like Gueira accurately judged by Meis' heartbeat. Well, now, he thinks he knows just what to do. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis tries to bat the hands wrapping around him away, hissing, "Idiot, I can't breathe, fuck off</span>
  <em>
    <span>,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" but Gueira keeps his hold, petting Meis' back, shoulder blades, neck, whatever he could reach. He knows Meis can breathe just fine, it's the panic screwing with his perception.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Usually, Meis can reroute all the apprehension into something that's useful for his survival – meticulous plans, little stashes across the city, notes of any backup abandoned buildings they could inhabit. But sometimes, that apprehension boils over into viscous fluid that binds his ribs, prevents his breathing, doesn't allow to move an inch, and infests his mind with possibilities, one worse than the last one. During those moments, Meis is entirely defenseless.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That's why Gueira's there for him, hugging Meis for as long as he needs to, whispering sweet nothings and encouragement as he waits for Meis to calm down. Slowly but surely, Meis' back goes from rigid to lax, and Gueira feels his heartbeat slow down as they fall asleep in a tight embrace.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>A day passes by with Lio out cold, then two.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sometimes, Lio thrashes in his deep slumber, moans in pain, knees hugged to his ribcage. The two of them can only look on, hearts full of pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They try to frequently wipe his forehead from the cold sweat that's gathering there. Lio's hands are clammy to the touch as well, but Gueira doesn't mind – he still clutches one when he goes to sleep, and Meis clutches the other.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The bed is thankfully wide enough to comfortably fit the three of them in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somewhere around half a week into Lio's unconscious state, they did something he wouldn't approve – they preyed on a human and sucked out its blood. But they needed it, the human would make up for the blood it's lost, their bone marrow produces plenty of it. With Lio not being there to pester them about the immorality of the action, they felt a bit less guilty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wouldn't have thought that this is the guy that's refusing to take human blood from them forcefully, wryly laughed Gueira to himself, looking at how Lio latched onto Meis' wrist cut in a rare moment of lucid sleep. They couldn't have risked bringing a human to their hideout in the inn, and much less to gut the body into the river to leave fewer footprints and go unnoticed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their meager savings allowed them a few rounds at the pub. There, Gueira, unusually stoic during these days of Meis in shambles and Lio out cold, suddenly lets loose, gripping a beer mug tightly. About how he's been fucking worried about Lio, about how he's so pale, like death itself, just lying there, goddamnit, and you too, Meis, what's gotten into you, you trying to give up and let life eat'cha alive or what–</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis tugs him close by the collar, swears right into his lips, angry at </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> – he is not sure if at himself, at Gueira, at this whole situation, at nothing at all – and licks and bites the taste the sour beer off of them, full of the need to claw out what's been bothering Gueira but unable to do so. Gueira drunkenly slaps him on the cheek and holds him by it, drawing him in for a kiss instead. It tastes of shitty lager and desperation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somewhere along the line, they had to buy gauzes for Lio – the thin cloth of the duvet covers just didn't cut it anymore. Meis was worried that Lio's wounds were from a magic-laced weapon, the one that prevented blood clotting, or quickened the blood flow, or hell, that could be some intricate poison dissolving Lio's intestines as they speak, liquefying them into a mush – at which Gueira had to slap Meis. That's black magic, and the church </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> places itself above tapping into it. And calm your ass, Meis.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio is going to be okay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All they can do is </span>
  <em>
    <span>wait.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio's reawakening from his wound-induced slumber is sudden. Gueira almost falls from the bed into Meis' lap when he hears groggy mumbling and shimmying behind him. Neither of them expected it, and who would, really. Though a small flame of hope burned within them both that those sounds were the indication of Lio waking up – this time for sure – they nonetheless get scared down to their bone marrow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Lio opens his bloodshot, blurry eyes that constantly threaten to close right back, flexes his toes, sniffs, tries to understand with what bits of his brain he has working at the moment just what the hell is going on, where is he, who is he, Meis and Gueira are already crowded around his waking form.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"G-guys?" is the first thing Lio asks with his croaky, barely above a whisper voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There isn't a reply at first, Gueira stuffs his happy mug first into his palms, then into Lio's chest, sniffing and smearing snot all over it as Lio moves Gueira's sharp nose a bit to the left of a particularly nasty bruise because the nose was poking it. Meis just sits to Lio's right, quietly petting his head, but Lio can see the traitorous wet glimmer in his eye as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"So, I have made it, I take it," Lio asks rhetorically. At that, the wetness in Meis' eyes quietly spills, and he hides his face in the side of Lio's neck, almost getting a mouthful of pale hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Gueira, on the opposite, raises his splotchy, snotty, and tear-streaked face, "Yes, you have, and don't you ever dare to pull shit like that off, ever, y'hear me?!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio knows he's angry, but the anger evaporates as soon as he takes Gueira's freckled hand into his and promises, "I won't, you have my word."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They stand like that for a bit, getting used to each other again through an embrace. With each pet of his head, Lio exhales and goes relaxed in their hug, squeezed between Meis and Gueira's chests. His legs wobble a bit, and Meis, alert even when calm, picks up on that. "Lio, if I pet your head any more, I think you'll fall asleep on us." Gueira wordlessly agrees from behind with an energetic nod and a snicker.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No I won't," comes Lio's grumbly muffled response. Meis believes him right that second, uh-huh. Of course.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Let's get you on the bed just in case you do."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I can do that just fine myself."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis critically eyes Lio's bandages and makes an unimpressed face. And it's settled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio melts in their hold while they carry him back under the blanket, expressing just how much is he against being back in bed just when he got out with his reluctant body language. Gueira just laughs and teases him endlessly as he helps Meis with Lio. His wounds are looking a bit better, but he still</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The three of them in bed, "Now that you're cozied up, we have to take care of this bird's nest of a mane. Sorry, Lio, you're not getting out of this," says Meis, brandishing a wooden comb. Not that Lio was planning to try, but now he kind of wants to. Meis' tone is almost striking fear into him, if Lio didn't know any better, he'd be afraid that Meis is threatening him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira jumps on the mattress to the side of Lio, and the bed pitifully creaks. He pats Lio on his forearm, "Hey, don't look like Meis is gonna eat'cha. Fella won't hurt a fly, pinkie promise."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis gives him a glare and tries to shove him off the bed – he's hurt plenty of flies, thank you – but Gueira expects just that and flops on Meis' knees in retaliation like an overly insidious shaggy cat. Well, what can Meis do. With his back to the bed headboard, he leans onto it and pats the space between his legs, inviting Lio to sit down. Secretly, Meis hopes Gueira wouldn't like to have his head squished by the body in front of and behind him and will get off his knees.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio sits between his spread legs, immediately relaxing his shoulder when Meis' hand lays onto it to steady it and get some leverage before he gets to the task. Gueira just… stays on Meis' thighs, tickling them both with his wild hair. Meis gets one leg from under Gueira's head and puts it on the side of Gueira's body just to be difficult.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time Meis is done combing the small tangles and brushing out caked blood from Lio's hair, Lio is almost asleep himself. He slowly slid down Meis' front, slowly enough it was barely noticeable, but he still ended up lying on Meis' thighs to the side of Gueira. With a gentle pat to the cheek, Meis wakes Lio up to tell him he's done and to show his handiwork. Lio sleepily cards his fingers through his mane, satisfied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh, and one more thing," says Meis out of the blue. Lio perks up a bit, his attention dissipated but aware. "What do we do with those scraps of clothing?" Meis asks, pointing at the torn-up bits and pieces of Lio's previous garments. "I thought we shouldn't dispose of them unless you say so."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Good thinking, Meis. There was actually something important in there, something I wouldn't want to lose."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis gives Gueira a told-you-so look while Lio bends down to rifle through the torn-up clothing. Gueira flicks his tongue out at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lio gets back up with a satchel and a little paper square. A photograph, charred at the corners, upon closer inspection. When Lio looks at it, his eyes get a little clouded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Is this… a photograph of someone's family?" asks Gueira, confused, failing to see why Lio gets so emotional over it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio sighs, wry. "Indeed. A photograph of my long-dead family."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh! I…"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No apologies needed, Gueira. The only one who really needs to apologize here is the one who did all that. I have not forgiven him, but I'll consider this photograph and satchel a start to repentance."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It clicks on Gueira slowly. "Oh, so </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>'s why you didn't want us to throw out this mess. So those things you have taken from the head honcho won't be lost."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"And you wanted to get rid of it, huh," butts in Meis just to be an annoyance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio sighs with exasperation and a hint of humor. "Silly Gueira. Yes, exactly. Good call, there, Meis." With a bitter smile, Lio traces the charred corners of the picture. "I don't know why he keeps the photographs of the killed people on his person. Even entire families. Perhaps a memento. A way to keep count. I don't care," he spats out. "All I know is that the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucker</span>
  </em>
  <span> had my family's among them. I thought it fair to burn all the photographs but this one to honor our dead people's memory."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Lio sits there, engulfed by grief, he is… he looks vulnerable. Despite the petite stature and soft face, his back is always, has always been upright, and the draw of his eyebrows made a serious impression. Now, however, he looks… Deeply, deeply hurt. And Gueira doesn't know what to do about it. Nor does Meis by the looks of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Gueira can still try. Live hard or die trying.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He moves closer to Lio, slowly enough Lio could back off if he wished. Lio doesn't, however.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Gueira hugs Lio, he feels just how much weight of the world he bears upon himself. His back is rigid, shoulders raised high in permanent willingness to defend himself if needed, shoulder blade muscles taut, and carved out of stone. Not for the first time, Gueira pities Lio. He knows Lio does not need it, is too proud for his own good, but… </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>God, through just how much he got in life.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Meis hugs him from the back, arms wound around Lio's midriff, the scared, paralyzed look of a deer caught in the light disappears when Lio closes his eyes. A few deep breaths in, his shoulders slide down just slightly. A few more, he relaxes just a little bit in their hug. Some more after, he puts his forehead on Gueira's shoulder with an exhausted sigh. "There, there," lightly pets him on the back of his head Gueira, while Meis hooks his jaw over Lio's shoulder and presses his forehead to Gueira's neck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They stay like this, bundled up into each other, while Lio shakes silently, pressing the small photograph tightly to his heart.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Putting on clothes with half your body weeping and stinging from wounds is an arduous task, to put it mildly. Pain numbed with adrenaline, he hadn't felt just how battered it was, and now he is paying the price for pushing his body so far.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio winces for what must be the hundredth, thousandth time this hour, tugging on his pants onto sore legs. The mix of wool and linen stung like the fiercest wasp, little bits of it got caught on the rough patches of skin toughened up by wounds. Clenching his teeth, Lio pushes on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Apparently, he makes quite the pained grimace, because Gueira takes notice and tries to come to the rescue with a worried mumble coming from Meis' embrace, "You okay there?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, yeah, don't worry. I'll manage," grunts Lio, sliding the fabric up to his thighs. Just a little bit more now…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira makes an unimpressed rictus. "Uh. No, I don't think you will, just looking at your scabs make me shiver, can't imagine how you'll manage by yourself with those little shits on your skin." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio is petrified by those words. Why would… Help? His mind is knee-jerked into a rapid-fire flurry of confusion and fight-or-flight response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira keeps looking at him, brows furrowed, waiting for at least some kind of response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After all they've done for him, it's his job to repay them, not for them to waste their precious time on him even more! Lio's breathing catches in his throat from how unfair this is – they wish to help, and not take anything in return. Lio can't believe that. Can't accept that. It's always been a quid pro quo world, how don't they get it?!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Seriously, let me help with that. Your fingers must be so cramped, it's hard to even move them," says Gueira, moving closer with the intention of buttoning up the rest of the tunic and not noticing Lio's fists clenched to white knuckles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His fingers are inching closer and closer to Lio, and Lio doesn't know what to do. He's scared, he doesn't need it, why would he accept help, he's the one helping and not the other way around–</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a loud smack, he slaps away Gueira's hand resting on his thigh, eyes bugged and wild.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anger bubbles up under his skin, ugly, blazing hot and black, a quick and unavoidable avalanche, searing all his emotions to a crisp, leaving only itself, the scorching heat of a quickly collapsing star.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Why don't you get that I don't need help?!"</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira looks like he was slapped across his face, an angry grimace stretching his lips. Meis rises from his recline on his elbows, alarmed, ready to intervene. The room is set in eerie, tense silence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh god. Oh god, what has he done. The realization rushes over Lio like a bucket of cold water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He can't take the duet of stares on him. He fucked up and gave in to the kneejerk reaction and turmoil, and now he's left to deal with the residue. What's done cannot be undone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio can't do this. Not now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snapping the pants all the way up to his hips, he rushes out of the inn room, hoping to find a solitary space to collect his thoughts. He knows just a "sorry" won't be able to mend this, but he says it quietly anyway before slamming the door shut, hoping Gueira senses all that he put into this word. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just the two of them left alone, Gueira sighs, angry grimace easing into a pained twist of his mouth. "Fuck was that…"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis makes a sound and takes him by the hand, firmly squeezing it, reassuring.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Did I… did I do something wrong. What do you think."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis shrugs at his words, having regained his nonchalance. "Don't think so. You did press on a bit, but I'm not sure that was ultimately what got you that reaction."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"But then what was it…"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis makes a non-committal grunt. "I'm not him. Try talking about it with Lio to get a concise answer."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You serious?! I feel like he would bite my head off right now!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Not with the right approach." With a small smile, Meis gives Gueira a slap on the shoulder. "Won't miss you if you do get your head bitten off though."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Same goes for you, asshole," bites back Gueira, "could feed you to Lio for some fresh buns without a bat of my eye," and turns around to go after Lio and think of a plan on the way. No stopping and thinking about it, that's not his modus operandi!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis' bark of laughter sounding behind him as he exits the room raises Gueira's spirits.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now, where the hell could Lio be?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He couldn't have gone far.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira's first guess would be the pub. Has a nice spot in the corner, allowing to oversee the whole room over the brim of a wooden ale mug. That's his guess, anyway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just as Gueira stumbles out of the inn across the mossy cobblestone, he looks back at the inn. That's when he notices Lio, up there, on the roof, a small silhouette almost blending in with the grays of the roof in the deepening dusk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He has no idea how has Lio gotten up there, the guy has the dexterity of a feral cat, sure, but his physical state right now… Though nobody would probably notice a small bat taking a short flight to the roof, it's almost dusk, and the village is in the middle of a forest, bats flocking and hunting for insects, their tiny wings flapping, is a pretty common thing in the summers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There is actually a trap door, though closed tightly. Gueira makes short work of it as he scrambles out to the roof, not wanting to waste his energy on transforming. He doesn't like the feeling of taking flight anyway, never understood how Meis could do it. Being unstable and subjected to the mercy of the wind, as opposed to the sturdy ground, keeping steady on it… Yeah, no thank you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Thank gods there is a flimsy wooden ladder leading to the top of the small superstructure, the highest point on the roof. Gueira </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> doesn't want to fly today and to just shapeshift in general. He makes sure to produce plenty of noise, stomping on the steps with all his weight to get out the nastiest whimpers and whines and creaks the old wood can manage to warn Lio of his presence. Lio must already smell him at this point and knows he's coming up, but just in case his senses are still dulled by the injury, Gueira keeps up the noisy ascension. In case Lio wants privacy and has time to think about his answer before Gueira barges in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio is still sitting on the roof, legs hung off its rim by the time Gueira scrambles up top. His back faces Gueira, so he can't see Lio's face, and it only now hits how slight and slim his small stature is. Yet so much fight in him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira snaps open his mouth preemptively, before even deciding on what to say, and snaps it right back when he barely catches himself – this isn't something he can rush into headfirst, even if that's what he does best.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All the words and apologies Gueira thinks of freeze instantly in his throat and fly out on the wings of chilly summer wind. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> a man of his word, but, as luck would have it, has never been good with them. Meis is the one that can claw his way out with just the help of his silver tongue, and Gueira… he's the muscle to Meis' brain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira second-guesses himself. If it's right to apologize right now; if he's done irreparable damage; if Lio even wants to see him, after all that. Worry squeezes Gueira's trachea, threatening to crunch the cartilage rings one by one. He worries at his lip in an attempt to bring some clarity to his panicking mind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, he looks up at the sky.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It looks back at him, with its thousands of small glimmering stars.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, Gueira has his answer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Y'know, stargazing used to be one of my favorite things as a wee shit," he starts, hands and knees scraping against the roof tiles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio jerks at his voice, shoulders immediately raised in alarm, but he thaws a bit when Gueira simply sits on the roof near him, within an arm's reach, making no move to get him back to the bed nor to continue the argument. However, Lio doesn't reply, either, keeping to himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well! Gueira takes that as a good thing. It's very much in Lio's power to slink off to someplace else, his bat wings nimble and reliant. So Gueira continues in a quiet somber tone, "Meis was the one who's taught me a lot of the constellations, actually. Had nothing else to do during lonely summer nights, so we scoured the dark sky, stringing stars together."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn't get a verbal response, but now Lio is no longer looking off into the bits of distance visible only to him and is instead seizing Gueira up, intrigued. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Somewhere along the road, Meis had found a book of human myths. 's almost like stumbling upon a world of its own, y'know, and in a way, it was, to young us. He meticulously read through it, and despite him being the prudent one, I sometimes caught him still up, poring over the damn thing." Gueira chuckles, remembering young Meis' startled face upon realizing with a book in his hands it's already dawn.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Is that so," Lio offers quietly. Such a usually dry, non-committal reply, and yet it has so much gingerly interest, it fires Gueira up. So Lio isn't ignoring him!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yup! The book also had some kind of uh… Astro-lo-gi-cal, I think, stuff? Curious, to think all that really exists somewhere so far away!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What do you think walks those desolate lands that are out there?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, there must be all sorts of animals, since plenty of gods and demigods have found their recluse in space in animal form!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio hums with a smile. "I hope they found a safe haven, wherever they are now."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They sit in a comfortable silence for a bit, with Gueira pointing out the lesser-known constellations, before he pipes up with an idea.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Know what, if the luck is on our side, this village could even have a library! We could check it out if you like them books so much."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio's eyes light up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He reaches out his hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Before we do that, I'm… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you, that was uncalled for," comes Lio's sudden apology.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira takes Lio's hand into his and squeezes it. "It's okay! Sometimes, letting out your emotions is better than forcing them deep inside, y'know? I got angry for a bit there too."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio sighs and smiles a bit, squeezing Gueira's hand back. "Thank you, buddy. I think I'll go search for one, see if this village is big enough for a library."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Would you like me to go search for the library with you?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio takes a deep breath like he's about to plunge into a freezing lake. It's okay to accept help.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Y… yes, please."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"My pleasure, then," laughs Gueira. "Come on!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As they slide down the ladder, they stumble into Meis, looking worried as all hell, but he eases up once he sees Lio and Gueira, unscathed. "I take it, no heads were bitten off, huh," he asks rhetorically, but Gueira still smacks "Come, Lio."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis' expression immediately turns stern. "And just where the hell are you going, with Lio still wounded," he grouses.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Eh-h-h…"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"To find a library," intervenes Lio. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis looks him up and down, gaze stopping at the plentiful gauzes, really impressed. "That… might not be the best idea, boss, whatever's Gueira got into your head can wait." Gueira throws his hands up, mumbling, "and just why am </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> the bad influence," but Lio offers his hand to Meis.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Wanna come with us?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Checkmate. Gueira watches with satisfaction how Meis' facade melts – Lio has hit this bookworm's weak spot. Meis rubs a hand across his face and says with exasperation, "Only if you feel like you are healed enough to do this, Lio."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio nods. It's firm and reassuring.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis makes a face like he's really doing them a favor by going with them as he takes Lio's hand, but Gueira knows deep inside, the guy is elated to keep them company. "But you're staying in bed till you're healed after we're done with this."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Not really a fan, Lio nods again nonetheless.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As they weave their way through the town, having asked the passerby for the location of the library, making sure to round every corner, to map out the village in their heads, their cat paws a light pitter-patter across the cobblestone, Gueira's heart wants to jump out of his chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time they find the library, slinking out of a narrow abandoned ally they hid themselves in to transform back, the sun has long settled down and the library was unfortunately closed. Lio sighs, disappointed, but Meis shrugs and reminds him of their agreement as Gueira pats him on the shoulder with pity.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But, well, he has a plan.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>After that incident, Meis feels a bit like a mother hen, keeping Lio in bed for at least a few more days – he won't die if he stays in for a bit more, but if something were to happen to him and neither Meis nor Gueira are by his side… So a few more days of bed rest are definitely not redundant.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Deep inside, Lio knows Meis is right, and his protests are weak and half-hearted as he tries to climb out of the bed and is pinned right back down by Meis’ stare. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As a way to placate Lio and make it up to him for having to stay in bed, Gueira and Meis visit the local library, scarce in its contents, but hey, the village the library is situated in is quite small too, they didn't expect any grandeur or flourishing bookshelves. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first stack of books they bring is short, the librarian always suspicious at first towards the new visitors of the library. Fair enough.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio is so pleasantly surprised that they went to a place full of humans and brought something of theirs back, even. With a sheepish rub of the back of his head, Meis admits that maybe, just maybe, humans, the whole lot of them, aren't that bad after all. Gueira interjects with a smug "so Lio's been rubbing off on ya, huh?", and that starts another little petty squabble, the two of them fired up at the prospect of getting back at each other. Lio looks at them over the top of the book with a small smile and opens the book on the title page.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn't turn his attention to any other books for a while when he finds one with various fire spells.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio has taken to practicing short-ranged fire spells in the bed. He has reassured the two that he has good control over his magic and no accidents will happen under his watch, and, well, though this might be not the safest decision, they trust him. Because he always had trouble with concentrating the mana into small embers as opposed to firestorms, sharp burst of rage boiling over into energy, and the three of them are at a relatively peaceful spot in their lives, now would be an as good time as any to practice that – after all, who knows, it might come in handy. When Lio finally manages to concentrate the sparks of fire in his fingers and drag a lace of elegant flames across his palm, he shrieks so loudly that Meis and Gueira, cuddling nearby and nearly asleep, jolt up like they weren't nestled into each other ready to doze off, only to be treated to the sight of Lio laughing in pure delight as little ember lizards scuttle across his hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Are you seeing this?! So beautiful," he breathes out, attention rapt, and Gueira and Meis are entranced, watching the tongues of flame dance across Lio's hand, before catching themselves and, interrupting each other, worriedly asking if he's okay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No, no, they don't burn at all! Here," Lio stretches a finger, brushes it against the back of Meis' hand, presses it into Gueira's wrist, and from his touch spring up new little fiery creatures, spindly and innocuous.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They tickle," giggles Gueira, pushing his little snake with a finger and earning a light bite. Meis' snake curls up in the bend of his palm, seemingly having had its fill of vagabonding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio watches the two having fun with the little fire creatures, before having to call them off after a little while.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Sorry I made such an uproar and made you two worry," quietly says Lio, averting his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"'S'okay man," sleepily replies Gueira. "I think I'll still nap though."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Tell you what," says Meis, "you could nap with us for a bit if you'd like. No objections, right, Gueira?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Aye, none at all!" Gueira jokingly rapports from behind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'd love to," comes Lio's quiet answer enveloped in a smile. "Thank you, guys."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's nothin', no need to thank us," waves him off Gueira, shuffling to the side a bit so that there's space between him and Meis for Lio to lay in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a smile, Lio swings a leg over Meis' waist and climbs over into the spot. Gueira's warm chest presses against Lio's shoulder blades, and the gap between the pillow and Meis' neck perfectly fits the junction of Lio's elbow. They slot so well against each other, Lio is immediately comforted and his eyes slide closed on their own, Gueira's breathing behind him raspy and the pulse of Meis' blood on his arm steady.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio's been thinking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He always was good at that, and hopefully will be to the end of his days, thank you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It's pretty obvious Meis and Gueira are a thing, even to the most oblivious person. The little touches they shared, streaks of bites and hickeys on their necks appearing every once in a while, sleeping on the same bed… Lio is no fool.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite being often at each other's throats quite often and having their fair share of squabbles throughout the day, it is visible to any naked eye they do care for each other. In the way Meis lightly scolding Gueira for his hotheadedness, Gueira making playful little jabs at Meis, not unkindly…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It's unlike anything he has ever seen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, he hasn't seen a relationship between two members of his kin, to be precise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It feels like something a bit special. And… something he wishes to be a part of.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio has fancied himself a loner. Liked the recluse, reveled in it even. The books his companions, the dust bunnies from the musty old tomes his pets, the sound of wind in an abandoned house his music. Or so he'd thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In trying to quench loneliness with empty reassurance that he didn't need intimacy anyway, he tried to fool himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Lio Fotia is no fool.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Reflecting upon it, after fulfilling evenings with Meis and Gueira, those moments that evoked this quiet happiness, one that makes you smile a soft smile and a warm glow bloom in your chest upon their recollection, Lio could get used to this. Already did, in fact. So much so, he wakes up every day looking forward to what new experiences of sharing accommodations with two other members of his kin has to offer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Up until this point, living, </span>
  <em>
    <span>existing</span>
  </em>
  <span> was about survival. Finding food, finding shelter, not being discovered, and the books he found on his way a rare and very welcome dessert. But with those two entering his life, Lio has found out that life is not just about fulfilling his needs. That a recherché tome, loneliness, and the tang of blood is not all that it has in store.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Looking back into the small window leading up to the moss-laden roof, he can see the silhouettes of Meis and Gueira tangled up on their bed, making out like no tomorrow, spit-slick fangs catching the moonlight pouring into the room. With a small snicker, Lio turns away to give them at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>some</span>
  </em>
  <span> privacy. Digging into the vast pocket of his cloak, he slides out a book, a silly romance novel he's recently taken a shine to. It's light reading at best, one Lio has looked down on in the past, but now… he has found solace in reading its simple paragraphs with a plot obvious and old as time. Ah, relationship drama.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And maybe, just maybe, he feels a kinship with the main character, longs for the simple pining they have with the love interest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Perhaps he wishes for the same.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Another peaceful morning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira's breath is quiet and calming behind him as Meis sticks his limbs out from under the blanket in a stretch. Lio, already almost awake by the time Meis starts shimmying in his spot, finally opens his eyes as Meis lets out a particularly sweet yawn, jaw snapping closed with a glint of fangs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Mh-h-h," Lio mumbles, turning to Meis, eyes still bleary and unfocused.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Good morning to you too, boss," laughs Meis. His voice still rasps in the back of his throat from sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio responds with a full-mouth yawn of his own, not bothering to cover it up with a hand. Trusts us that much to loosen up a bit, huh, muses Meis, barely suppressing the urge to yawn again himself and eyeing what could be seen of Lio's body from under the blankets. His bandages are becoming more and more far and in between, and Meis can't help but be glad and a little proud. Just the tiniest bit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Whu's with th' "boss" thing," slurs Gueira from behind him, woken up by their voices, by the looks of it. He immediately turns on his side to drape his arms around Meis' sides and to breathe at the nape of Meis' neck, exposed by the dark hair strewn about on the pillows. It isn't content to stay just on Meis' pillow, having found a way to creep on Lio's and Gueira's as well. Sneaky, Lio thinks, picking up a dark curl from his pillow and twirling it in his hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hell if I know. Just feels right to call Lio that. He saved our asses, so I'm kind of feeling it. What about you, Lio?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio blinks a few times, catching up with reality, then does a small laugh and says, "Sure."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis lightly elbows Gueira in his side as if to say, "see?" Gueira just sniffs, offended in his best intentions.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That gets a minute-sized sleepy slapfight going, with Gueira on the offense, Meis mostly defending through laughs and Lio watching at his personal circus from the sidelines.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slightly out of breath after, Meis huffs and sits upright. "Alright, don't know 'bout you two, but I feel like finally waking up," he says, traversing around Lio's legs to swing his legs over the edge of the bed and on the floor. Lio makes a mischievous face and puts his legs in Meis' lap.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, thank you very much for that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He's too sleepy to deal with shenanigans, Meis decides as he stretches his back, arms high up in the air. His jaw finally opens in a yawn that's been itching to get out of him for some time now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The idyll is ruined by the inn maid peeking in without a knock to announce the breakfast is ready and the sirs may come down whenever they'd like to. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis barely manages to snap his jaw closed and cover himself up with a blanket, cheeks bursting into pink.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Wow, rude!" pipes up Gueira from behind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You don't say," grumbles Meis, "let's hope this won't happen again." Rubbing his chin, he sighs. "We have to find a safer place soon."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No shit," says Gueira. Awfully cranky today, aren't we.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No, I mean, we have to find a place that is safer than..." Meis colorfully circles the inn room with his hand, points at the door, throws a disgusted look at the courtyard visible from out the window, "This. It's a welcome respite, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> not safe. We have to find a place that is ours. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Truly ours.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hm… that place must be far, far away from any human settlements," says Lio, already deep in thought. "Or something so off-limits, they won't ever visit it."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'm sure there must be some old, abandoned woodcutter huts in the woods," chips in Gueira, rubbing his chin. "Or, actually, you know what." He sniffs, makes a serious, thinking face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis wants to jab that he could sprain his brain squiggles if he thinks too hard, but this is no time for jokes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Smacking his hand into an opened palm, Gueira continues, "We could ask around, snoop for some town legends, we just might come across somethin' worth looking into!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Brilliant, Gueira," beams Lio. "It's settled, then. As soon as we finish breakfast, we're separating to search for insight under the guise of travelers."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"May I get half an hour before setting out for info to digest my breakfast a bit though, boss," jokingly whines Gueira at Lio's firm statement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio's temporary facade of a leader fades, and he devolves into silly giggles. Gueira looks at Meis. Meis shrugs, not able to contain a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You can get away with it, I think, the inn's cook promised sunny-side-up eggs with some freshly-caught fish, so that's a hell of a way to start a day. I think I'll need half an hour, too," muses Meis.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That only makes Lio giggle harder, and he barely manages to let out a hum of agreement.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the end, though, their thorough search proves fruitless. They still decide on moving a bit north, where the deadly pine woods are thicker and much less explored by man. That sounded like an alright place for respite at first.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they have finally left the village, threading the forest on its outskirts, having set out to find… something, anything, but not as populated, saturnine clouds crept on them behind their backs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rain catches them by surprise. It disarms them, and at the worst time it could have happened, too. Just their luck to finally decide to get a move on in search of a safer and obscure hideout.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The soft moss and foliage under their feet soak up water hungrily, and their capes, the last line of defense against the rain, get drenched at the bat of an eye. The smaller cousin of the rainclouds, the silence cloud, firmly envelops the three of them, but not for long.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few kilometers later, Gueira gives up first. "Lio-o-o," he whines annoyingly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yes?" To Meis, Lio sounds on the verge of snapping, but, as a true agent of chaos, Meis chooses to look on to quench his own misery.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Can you carry my drenched to hell cape?" At least he isn't stretching his vowels this time to be more infuriating. Meis nonetheless rolls his eyes at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We're all having it rough right now, Gueira. So no, I won't." Lio's eyebrows set lower and lower, indicating that he won't budge. At Gueira's whine, Lio's expression softens a bit and he adds, "Sorry."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira slides his hands down his face and makes a disappointed sound. Then his eyes light up and with a quick "catch!" he throws his cape at Lio and stops dead in his tracks. It almost hits Lio in the face with heavy, wet fabric and a wide arch of droplets. He barely manages to catch it to preserve both his life, his bones, and his sanity before chewing Gueira out, but looking back at Gueira, it's evident now why he threw the cape, it's just that he did not warn anyone before rushing in headfirst, in usual Gueira fashion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shifting to an animal form to preserve what warmth in his body's left instead of walking upright, drenched, </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>a good idea, and Lio curses himself out for not thinking of it himself sooner. The thick fur of Gueira's lynx form is the perfect shield against the rain, and he roars triumphantly, short scanty tail standing tall in the air. ...but the roar is more of a scream or a squeaky door than it is a triumphant sound. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis gives him a noogie. "Cut the yowling. Someone might hear us." Gueira, hurt in his best intentions, headbutts Meis in the knees, nearly making the man topple over with an indignant sound. Meis purses his lips but doesn't say anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When that's over, Lio dumps Gueira's cape on his back with a gruff, "Here you are, now that you're done." Gueira's ears fall, he kind of hoped Lio would carry it now that he's shifted, but ah well, and Gueira gives an apologetic meep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis patiently waits for when the cape is steady on Gueira's back, surveying how Gueira moves forward with his heavy paws and how the curves of fabric rock back and forth – his revenge should be an annoying little thing and not bring any actual harm and damage. When Gueira's paw catches at an especially deep puddle and he stops dead in his tracks, making an annoyed noise, with a speed of light, Meis throws his cape over Gueira as well, whoops "sweet revenge!" and in one smooth movement nosedives on Gueira's broad back as a slick osprey.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And Meis knows damn well that Gueira won't be able to shake him off because of the capes resting on his back. The bastard hangs onto Gueira's fur, making little noises of what must be satisfaction as Gueira snarls and crankles and wiggles, desperately trying to shake off the smug annoyance of a bird without dislodging the capes. That only intensifies Meis' squawks and amusement as he flaps his wings a bit to keep his balance, hanging on for dear life.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio barely manages to hold back a giggle, but still ribs Meis, lightly flicking his beak, "Don't be mean! Gueira's got his cape already. Some courtesy wouldn't hurt."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis clicks his beak, eyes downturned. The action looks a bit apologetic, and yet...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Won't fool me. You are not apologetic </span>
  <em>
    <span>in the slightest</span>
  </em>
  <span>," is Lio's immediate answer. The long chuffed trill Meis makes confirms it, and Gueira's wiggling his behind much more intensely now, still hoping to try to get Meis out of his hair in both senses. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio sighs and takes Meis' cloak off Gueira's back, opting to carry it himself and getting a thankful rough little purr.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However, Lio is not without a small vengeful vein in him, so he makes sure to shake the hood of the cape at Meis and drizzle him with droplets, to Gueira's utter delight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Avenged at last! Gueira lovingly nuzzles at Lio's thigh, whiskers tickling the skin, which gets even more giggles out of Lio.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, the rain doesn't seem all that bad to the three of them anymore.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>In a few hours, the rain goes from a playful drizzle to a full-on downpour, </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis was the first to be affected, his small body, although able to shrug off the light drizzle thanks to the oily waterproof coating, is no match to the rain of this ferocity. He stopped trying to take flight and is instead huddled on Gueira's back under the wet cape, a miserable ball of feathers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira isn't having it good, too. His heavy paws keep splashing into puddles formed from the thickening rain, and his fur is marred with streaks of dirt. Droplets fall off his whiskers hung in defeat. He occasionally whimpers when he sets foot into an especially deep puddle, and Lio's heart sinks each time at the miserable sound.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Out of the three of them, Lio would say he's in the best position. His leather boots keep his feet safe from the moisture, and his body is much larger than Meis', making it harder for the rain to soak him as thoroughly. Biting his lip, he thinks of what to do. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>First, of course, they need to wait through the rain. Then, dry themselves and their clothes off. The ideal place for that would be some abandoned building, a lone woodcutter's shed, hell, even an inn would do. To find the first two, they need luck, and for the latter, to get back to some major road. But they are fairly deep in the woods now, in search of something more secluded, farther away from human settlements, and that made it their downfall now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio weighs his options.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The best they could do right now is find a place in the woods where the branches are the thickest. Luckily, they are already in a pretty jungly area, so all that's left now is to search for the tree which would be their temporary recluse.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shares the idea with Meis and Gueira, and he can practically see how it raised their spirits. Gueira takes off with a yip, probably in search of a perfect candidate, as Meis squawks and hangs on for dear life with his claws. Lio sighs with a smile. In this serried forest, it would be best not to lose each other, so he runs off after them, careful not to set foot into a puddle.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their choice falls on a tall pine, looking old enough to be their grandfather. With its thick branches, it protects the small circle of the ground under it, and Lio breathes out in relief. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Think this one works?" he asks Gueira, and in response, Gueira settles on the ground, as if to say, whatever, it doesn't leak here, so it works for me. Meis hops off Gueira's back and starts busily flapping off the water off his body at a bit of a distance. It seems he is, too, content with the choice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well. If they are happy, it works for Lio, too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He puts their cloaks up on the lowest branches and tries to spread their cloth as much as possible without bumping into the pine needles. This should be alright, but they need to dry off themselves somehow, too… hm. He critically eyes the brushwood under their feet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Gueira and Meis transform behind his back, he gathers up some of the fallen branches and sizes them up. Not too much pine needles, almost dry, too, that means no acrid smoke and a nice fire to warm the three of them up while they wait for the rain to end. Lio pushes the rest of the brushwood with his foot to avoid it catching fire, and puts an armful of branches in the center of the cleaned-up patch. Meis and Gueira, already more or less having come to their senses, eye his actions with curiosity from behind his back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The self-appointed lessons of short-ranged fire spells came in handy. It still takes Lio a few snaps of his fingers to get it going, and just when he thinks he underestimated how wet the brushwood got and that he would need to search for it outside their safe hideout, a small spark runs through the middle, and a shy flame comes to life.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The peanut gallery behind him explodes in cheers and hoorays, and Lio can't help but grin, too. "Come here, you idiots. We need to dry off."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis gasps, mock-offended, but can't help but giggle through the facade. Seeing Meis laugh is rare.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Dunno about you, but I'll dry off my clothes too. No fun having them tediously do that while having the cloth stick to me," says Gueira, and takes off his shirt with a swing of his arms. He puts it on the branch adjacent to his cloak while hissing at the pine needles under his nose.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio eyes the array of scars on Gueira's torso, and not for the first time, he wonders of the stories behind them. He hopes it wouldn't be too rude to ask, now would be an as good time as any for some campfire stories.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Gueira, if you don't mind me asking, what's the story behind that scar on your lower back…?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira perks up, twisting to see the scar like he forgot of its existence. Well, he could have, Lio doesn't know where half of his scars came from, too. The adrenaline of the fight tends to glaze over his memories.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Oh, that one! It's actually a sibling of those on my back, they're similar if you squint!" Gueira twists his body again, trying to point the other scars out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Right. They do look a bit alike, white horizontal strikes, smooth and long, Lio notes as Gueira sits down in front of the campfire and extends his hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Those're the ones I got from the lashings, stole some things to last myself a few more days, and the church took offense to that," laughs Gueira. It's a bit of an uneasy laugh, and Lio understands why. He decides not to push the conversation, but Gueira continues, "the one who left them had one hell of a heavy hand, I'll tell you that much. Firm and unyielding, just like his whip."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis sits down next to Gueira and puts his head on his shoulder, comforting. Gueira doesn't make a squawk, despite Meis' hair being wet and dripping right in his lap. Their fingers lock in a gentle hold.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hurt like fucking hell, of course," continues Gueira, rubbing the back of his neck. "And letting those wounds close by themselves with my back being firmly pressed to the prison wall was torture, too, of course. They tailor for it all to be as torturous as possible, even when you're resting."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You got out, right?" asks Lio when Gueira gets quiet, gazing into the fire. Instead of him, Meis speaks up this time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>We</span>
  </em>
  <span> got out, yes. Met this dummy in the church prison." Oh. Oh-h-h, thinks Lio. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Their fault for having so many vampires imprisoned in one place so close to each other, keeping us for a perfect day to burn us all at the stake," grins Gueira unkindly. "Getting out of that shithole was a pain, but we managed it, along with the others. Didn't do that scot-free, though." He pets a scar on Meis' arm, wide, jagged. A deep bolt graze, judging by the length?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yup. Weapons rubbed with holy water are a bitch," laughs Meis. "We had to run out of that town like beaten mutts, but hey, we are alive."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira pokes him in the arm as if to check if he is indeed alive.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis presses the finger down with his palm and interlocks their fingers on that hand as well. "I'm alive, you dumbass, you would have noticed if it was otherwise."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Okay, okay, fi-i-ine. Would have been weird if I shagged a ghost anyway."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio can't help but snicker.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The crackling of the fire and the rain's pitter-patter fill the silence. Then the grumble of Gueira's stomach joins into the choir. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...yeah, I think I'm hungry," confesses Gueira.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The food they – or rather, Lio – bought isn't much, but it's enough to get the three of them full a few times. As Lio unwraps the cloth, Meis for the third or probably the fourth time wonders how Lio came to obtain prime cuts of beef jerky and – yep, good cheese, too, judging by its pungent smell. And there were some rings of cored, dried apples. Huh. Fancy. If Lio stole them without telling, they'd best watch their asses in the next town just in case.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira wrinkles his nose as he picks up a crumbly chunk of cheese and gives it a sniff. "Yeesh. Well, down the hatch it goes." And just like that, the big piece disappears. Meis, meanwhile, wolfs down his share of the meat, Lio can almost hear the hungry snaps of his teeth. Well, makes sense, the two of them </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> transform, and that takes quite a bit of energy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio mellowly snacks on some dried apples himself, eyeing how hungrily the two go down on their meals. The sun is probably setting now, its descent invisible because of the clouds. They should sleep soon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The best idea seems to be curl up on the tree and sleep there – there's no telling what wanders those woods at night and what could find the three of them, resting and defenseless, so camouflaging and blending in would be their best bet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Wanna settle up there on the branches with us? It'll be warmer that way, and plus, you look like you need that warmth anyway," says Meis. The idea itself is reasonable, but... Lio needs more time to get comfortable with the concept of opening up and accepting help, even if that means being cold in his sleep. Lio shakes his head in response and tries his best to not let his heart sink at Meis' disheartened look.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Lio extinguishes their campfire and wipes all its traces, Gueira and Meis, birds of prey, drag their cloaks higher up on the branches closer to the top, but not on the very top, to still have that thick layer of foliage to protect the cloth from rain. Gueira finds himself a nice thick branch, settles right at the beginning of it, closer to the pine trunk and squawks, quietly but satedly. The relatively tiny body of a falcon he inhabits now makes it easier to settle comfortably into his chosen spot along with Meis.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio swiftly flies up to them as soon as he is done, the golden body of an oriole glimmering in the rare light. He finds himself a nice little fork in the borough, near Meis and Gueira, and fluffs up his feathers to preserve the warmth. It's summer, but the nights are still quite cold. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Lio falls asleep, he hears quiet trills and gentle snaps of a beak against feathers. Meis is probably cleaning Gueira's bright orange plumage on his chest. Gueira is really proud of its vibrant color. Soon after Meis finishes, the two of them will fall asleep as well.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Perhaps Lady Luck has not abandoned them yet. They decided to stay on the path, just in case and not stray too far off into the woods, in the covert shadow of the bushes so as to not alert anyone to the unusual union of man, bird, and beast, and their persistence has paid off in a few days.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hitching a ride on a villager's cart feels like it's been more trouble than it's worth at first.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This particular farmer is really one talkative bloke. Now they know of the locust invasion a few years ago he's still recovering from, his wife's bad case of the vapors, and the name of his favorite chicken. Viola, huh. A hen with feathers like dried orange peels and one hell of an attitude.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis would be lying if he said he didn't want to make the hen his acquaintance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio seems to have a blast talking the night with away the guy. Or he's really good at the pretending game, Meis wouldn't put it past him. But whatever Lio's feelings about his conversation are, he most likely engaged in it because he wanted to divert attention from him and Gueira, to give them an opportunity to rest. Meis gave Lio a smile, albeit an exhausted one, to show Lio how much he appreciated that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If it wasn't for the fact the three of them were all drained and cold to the bone, hitching a ride would have been out of the question. The soggy wooden planks dig into his pelvic bones, the hay behind their heads reeks of mold and animals and humidity, but Gueira is right by his side, curling close to his body and lightly mumbling in his sleep, and Lio's chattering away with the human right in front of them. Meis' life seems to have found a delicate balance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The few early birds are already chirruping and chattering between themselves although the sunrise isn't that soon judging by the moon's position in the sky. And the slight shake and jump of the cart are calming down Meis' nerves with its repetitiveness. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>has</span>
  </em>
  <span> been a long while since he's been on any of those primitive ways of transportation, he's forgotten how soothing this rocking of the wheels on the road is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gueira isn't a fan, but strangely enough, he fell asleep first. Or maybe the guy's just been too tired these days, which is understandable. The three of them have been running on fumes. Meis, however, cannot allow himself to give in to the luxury of falling asleep just yet. At least two of them must stay up awake I'm case something goes wrong.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Creaking of the crickets, quiet whispers of the leaves, soft thuds of the horses' hooves, Lio's smooth voice – all those small sounds filling Meis' hearing are almost lulling him to sleep. Almost. So every other minute he sweetly yawns and slaps himself on the cheeks to keep himself awake somehow, and tries to pay at least half-hearted attention to the conversation near him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When the moon is past its midpoint in the ink-black sky, Lio finally joins them, settling into the hay to the other side of Meis. He looks… Tired, too. Meis extends a bit of his cloak to Lio for him to cover himself up, at which Lio gives a stern look.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meis knows better than to be scared by that. He extends his hand with the cape further, a smug grin stretching his lips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A beat passes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Two.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a sigh, Lio takes it and covers himself. Meis' grin widens from smug to victorious.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Don't," Lio puts a finger to his lips, preempting a playful jab. "And thank you."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shushed, Meis instead raises an eyebrow at him as if to say "whatever you say" and winks. Lio indignantly bugs his eyes at him, but holds his voice back, not wanting to wake up Gueira and alert the villager. But by the looks of it, he has something else to say, since he opens his mouth a couple of times despite establishing a silence rule. A few awkward seconds of him thinking, and Lio motions at Meis, then puts his palms together and folds them underneath his head with his eyes closed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Okay, so Meis should sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then Lio jabs his finger at himself and opens his eyes wide as saucers. Looking? Uh-h-h… Searching? Spying? Oh, right. Being on the lookout. Guard duty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Makes sense why he doesn't want to say it out loud. No need to alert the villager to their plan in case he plans to catch them off-guard. Marauders and thieves aren't uncommon on these roads.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Though… Guard duty has shifts. Meis points a finger at his chest, raises his eyebrows and hopes Lio understands he means not "what about me, I can be the first on guard duty!" but "how soon should I take over?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This time, it takes Lio even more times to put together his pantomime. Just as Meis is starting to get amused with Lio's rich body language, Lio gives up and tugs him closer by the collar. Before Meis can even give a surprised peep, a hot breath burns his ear along with a whisper, "I'll wake you up when your shift comes. Then you wake up Gueira last. He looks like he needs sleep the most out of all of us."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suppressing the shiver, all Meis can do is nod and not give attention to his burning ears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turns on his other side, hoping Lio doesn't see his blush.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lio's whisper is back on his ear with a soft "goodnight, Meis" that has a hint of his quiet, loving smile, and this time, Meis lets the goosebumps go wild as his eyes slide closed.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>aw yeah awkward love me some of that</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As you have noticed, I'm moving to the chapter format with this one! My semi-finished draft is currently 30k+ words long, and it's gonna get even bigger, so I thought it would be a great idea to cut it in parts.</p><p>Oh god I have worked on this shit for half a year and I'm finally posting it it's been 3000 years</p><p><a href="https://tumblr.com/blog/cherishiggy">Tungle</a> | <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/cherishiggy">Twitter</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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